


date ditchers

by sunbee



Category: The Kane Chronicles - Rick Riordan
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Longing Gazes, Museum dates, abstract art, easy sea breeze, gross goobies being in love, soft touches
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-15
Updated: 2020-09-15
Packaged: 2021-03-06 18:22:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 815
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26483359
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunbee/pseuds/sunbee
Summary: carter and zia go on a date to look at art
Relationships: Carter Kane/Zia Rashid
Comments: 6
Kudos: 31





	date ditchers

It’s always most telling about a person what they want to see when they go to a museum, Carter’s noticed. Museums, like airports, feel like a second home. There’s something comforting about the way that one is never truly alone, there are so many emotions seeping through the displays that it’s impossible to not feel connected. Sometimes, Carter feels like he could fall back in time and relive the artist’s emotions when they made the piece. It’s always so apparent. 

For instance, though, Julian loves to run off and stand in the history section, pouring over every single weapon. He doesn’t leave a single plaque unread, taking picture after picture of them for safe keeping. Sadie would prefer to not go at all, but would put on the biggest smile and gladly walk hand in hand with an anklebiter if they asked. If it was Shelby, they’d get ice cream after. Alyssa loves the landscapes, the ones that took hundreds of hours to capture the sunset perfectly, or the moonlight over the docks.

Zia, however, loves abstract art. And Carter must be so, so gone to stand for hours and hours, gazing at blocks and blobs and Picasso that he cannot understand. But something about standing next to someone with such utter reverence for the carefully applied streak of blues and purples and boxes and triangles makes it all make sense. Or maybe that’s the love clicking into place. Art is hard to understand, Carter has spent many moments staring at a piece of art, typically next to Walt, in mock seriousness before glance is shared and the two of them break, trying to stifle their laughter before splitting up again. 

Today though, something is off. Georgia O’Keeffe isn’t hitting the same way, the colors have seemingly lost their voice on a Thursday afternoon. Carter is a little surprised when Zia turns her head to the side, tilts her head slightly. Her gold, geometric earrings sway gently with the easy movement. 

“Do you want to go do something else?” Zia asks. 

“Do you want to?” Carter asks. Zia’s hand feels so good in his. 

Zia nods, “It will always be here tomorrow.” 

Given their track record, that always seems a little off. A little too hopeful, but recently, things have been good. No crazy magicians, no monsters, nobody crossing the river and causing more problems than it’s worth. No apocalypses. No fighting. Just studying and training, and a set scheduled routine. (Maybe that’s Carter’s virgo rising.) 

Taking the tiny leap of faith into the sporadic change of plans is so easy, though, when it’s with Zia. The two of them share a smile before they start to walk out of the exhibit, hand in hand. 

They end up swinging through a bodega to pick up sandwiches and drinks, before heading to the beach. They aren’t exactly dressed for it, Carter in jeans, with a t-shirt and a chunky sweater vest. Zia, in loose, cream pants and an olive, short sleeved turtleneck. The light breeze from the ocean over the boardwalk distracts from the way the sunlight beats down relentlessly, only covered for a few brief moments by the occasional passing clouds. 

The sun favors Zia, literally and metaphorically. They sit and eat their sandwiches in silence, Zia people watching, Carter watching the way the seagulls dip into the ocean before coming back up. Every once in a few glances, they catch the other looking, examining cheekbones, that one little mole on Carter’s cheek, the tiny scar on Zia’s upper lip. Carter has kissed the fishing hook scar so many times, and he hopes he doesn’t ever have to stop. 

“What are you thinking about?” Carter asks, sandwich trash in the to go bag and set at their feet. Zia’s fingers are linked with his, loose and easy, in a way that can become a grip in a moment's notice. But now, they mirror the soft, easygoing laps of the tide against the beach. 

Zia hums softly. “About how ridiculous clown fish look.” 

A large grin breaks across Carter’s face. “Seriously?” 

“How could I have possibly come up with that lie so quickly?” Zia asks, meeting Carter’s gaze, a smile slowly starting to worm its way across her face to match her boyfriend’s. 

Carter just shakes his head and presses a few kisses to Zia’s knuckles. “I love you.” It’s so sincere yet so light at the same time, easy as breathing because that’s what being in love feels like. Easy. 

“Love you too, Carter,” Zia says, her eyes not leaving Carter’s face. And, even though those words have been uttered so, so many times, they cause for Carter’s heart to still skip. He used to be worried that one day being in love would just be another one of his routines, but he doesn’t think so. Not anymore. Now it’s just a state of being. 

**Author's Note:**

> hi angels !!! tysm for reading !! dont forget to leave a like and a comment & come find me on tumblr @ waltstone 
> 
> all the love for yall !!! drink water, kiss your plants, listen to parliament. stay safe stay sane <3


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